Cary Carron grew up in the Denver suburbs; but he learned at a very young age that his heart belonged in wild country among Colorado’s wildlife. That longing led him to a long and distinguished career as a district wildlife manager with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. His dedication and reputation were recognized recently when he was chosen by his peers to receive the Colorado DOW’s prestigious John D. Hart Officer of the Year Award for 2005. “I don’t know what else I could have done, if I hadn’t been a game warden I would have been in big trouble,” Carron says with a slight smile.

The award is named after John D. Hart who started working as a game warden in 1919 and was the DOW’s assistant director when he retired in 1959.

As a District Wildlife Manager (DWM) – commonly known as a game warden – Carron is on the front lines of watching out for Colorado’s critters. The work of DWMs is varied. They make sure wildlife laws are obeyed, they work with homeowners and landowners, they conduct basic field research to determine the health of big-game herds, they stock fish, they educate the public about wildlife, and more. “There is a great variety in the work. I’m never bored,” Carron said.

Carron, 49, grew up in Westminster and spent much of his time as a youth hunting and fishing with his parents. After high school he attended Fort Lewis College in Durango and earned a degree in biology. He then worked in temporary jobs with the DOW at the hatchery in Durango, as a property technician in Durango and as a field worker on a deer mortality study in Meeker. In the late 1970s, competition for DWM jobs was intense. After taking the test for the fourth time he was finally selected to join the corps of game wardens.

His first assignment in 1983 took him to Las Animas in southeastern Colorado. When the DWM job for the Bayfield area – near Durango – opened up in 1986 he jumped on the opportunity. He’s been there ever since.

Carron was attracted to the district because of the vast roadless tracts in the nearby Weminuche Wilderness Area. “I prefer to work away from the roads, I spend a lot of time on horseback in the roadless areas,” Carron said. He also prefers to work with the hunters who are willing to venture far into the backcountry. “It’s the more serious hunters who go into the wilderness. They know they have to work hard.”

But he sees fewer people who are willing to hunt on foot. During the past five years, Carron said he’s seeing too many hunters driving back roads looking for big game. “All terrain vehicles have changed the sport drastically. They can be a great tool if they’re used right. But too many people think hunting is getting on an ATV and finding something to shoot at,” Carron said.

As a law enforcement officer, Carron has worked on dozens of cases over the years. One of his biggest occurred during the 2005 season when he investigated hunters from Arkansas who had illegally killed two Sampson-class bucks. The men admitted that they had violated the law and paid fines of more than $22,000 on the spot.

Like anyone else who has lived in Colorado since the 1970s, Carron has watched development encroach into prime wildlife habitat areas. He’s especially worried about development on winter range. Because of his concerns, he’s served on the board of the La Plata Open Space Conservancy for the last five years. His major role is to help the board evaluate wildlife issues.

On the job as a DWM, Carron is spending more time each year talking to property owners about wildlife issues. He works with owners of large parcels on habitat and game damage concerns. With property owners in outlying subdivisions, Carron explains the basics of wildlife behavior and how to keep them from becoming pests.

“I’m amazed at how many people have the false ideas that wild animals are dangerous. I explain that black bears are probably the shiest animals in the forest,” Carron said. “A lot of people are moving here to be closer to wildlife, but then they don’t like it when animals show up on their front porches.”

One of Carron’s most lasting contributions to the Bayfield area is his work with youth. In 1990, he started a shooting sports group with the Pine River 4-H Club. Over the years he’s taught hundreds of kids how to handle firearms and how to hunt safely.

“They’re the future of the sport. It’s important that we keep kids interested in hunting,” Carron said.

Each spring Carron is the main organizer for the Youth Hunter Education Challenge, local and regional competitions in which youngsters are tested on their knowledge of wildlife, hunting, safety and on-the-ground navigation.

Tom Spezze, southwest regional manager for the DOW in Durango, has worked with Carron since the early 1980s. “Cary has always been a very dedicated and professional wildlife officer,” Spezze said. “He’s a game warden’s game warden. Cary is certainly deserving of this prestigious award.”

Carron’s demeanor in the field serves as an inspiration to his supervisor, Patt Dorsey, area wildlife manager in Durango. “He’s the kind of guy who no matter what goes wrong knows how to take it calmly,” Dorsey said.

Carron has been married to his wife, Paula, for 25 years. They have two grown children - Doug and Katie who both live in Bayfield. Paula is a fourth grade teacher at Bayfield Elementary School.